Not all accidents happen in construction, warehouses, or factories. Sometimes workplace injuries occur in the office.
The following workplace injury statistics will be as recent and accurate as what we can dig up for you.
After reading this resource, you should know a lot more about accidents, injuries, and even deaths in the workplace.
Key Statistics
- Private industry employers say that 2.7 million nonfatal workplace illnesses and injuries were reported in 2020.
- More than 75% of all nonfatal workplace injuries where people had to take days off work were due to body reactions, overexertion, slip-and-falls, trips, and contact with equipment or objects at work.
- Exposure to harmful environments of substances was number one out of the 84% of employees who missed work for injury or illness.
- In 2020, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 4,767 occupational fatalities due to injuries incurred on the job.
- Transportation incidents accounted for 1,778 work-related fatalities in 2020.
- According to workplace injury statistics, 20% of employees’ work-related fatalities in 2019 came from the construction industry.
- Motor vehicle operators, transportation and material-moving occupations, and the construction industries have the highest risk factors for work-related deaths.
- In 2020, Texas had the highest fatality rates of full-time workers.
- In 2020, the average number of days missed for illness or injury was 16 days among 55 to 64 year olds.
- According to the BLS, women are less likely to get hurt on the job than men.
Workplace Injury Statistics in 2025
1. Private Industry Employers Say that 2.7 Million Nonfatal Workplace Illnesses and Injuries Were Reported in 2020.
That certainly is a lot of illness and injury in the workplace, but that figure is a decrease from 2019 when there were 2.8 million illnesses and injuries reported.
These figures are estimates from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) , according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
They believe these numbers to be down mostly due to fewer injuries, with further reports of nonfatal injuries from 2020 compared to 2019 (2.1 million compared to 2.6 million).
Sadly, illnesses quadrupled from 127,00 reports in 2019 to 544,600 in 2020.
2. In 2019, 27% of 888,220 Nonfatal Workplace Injuries that Resulted in Days Missed from Work Were Due to Trips, Slips, and Falls.
This data comes from the CDC regarding traumatic injuries in the workplace.
Another 244,410 employees incurred severe enough injuries from coming into contact with equipment and objects at work that they had to take time off work.
Furthermore, 1,270 workers died due to work-related car crashes in 2019, which accounted for 24% of all deaths in the workplace.
Employees under 24 years old experience higher rates of work injuries that require emergency room treatment than any other age group.
3. More than 75% of All Nonfatal Workplace Injuries Where People Had to Take Days Off Work Were Due to Body Reactions, Overexertion, Slip-And-Falls, Trips, and Contact with Equipment or Objects at Work.
In number 2 on this list, we mentioned that 244,410 employees were injured from coming into contact with equipment and objects that took them away from work for a time.
Over 75% of nonfatal injuries that occur at work were due to contact with objects or equipment.
Also, within that 84% of nonfatal injuries that took people off work were slips, trips, allergic reactions, and overexertion.
In 2020, the leading cause of work-related illnesses and injuries that involved taking days off from work were caused by illnesses related to COVID-19.
4. In 2020, Overexertion and Bodily Reactions Accounted for 26.2 per 10,000 Full-Time Employees.
Warehousing and transportation were the two industries that experienced the most problems with overexertion and bodily reactions to substances in the workplace in 2020.
Workers aged 45 to 64 were the most at risk for these workplace illnesses that caused people to be out of work for about 14 days. Back injuries or pain was the most common complaint.
Of the 84% of nonfatal injuries or illnesses that occurred in the workplace in 2020, overexertion and bodily reactions accounted for 21.7%.
In numbers, this accounted for 255,490 workers.
5. Exposure to Harmful Environments of Substances Was Number One out Of the 84% of Employees Who Missed Work for Injury or Illness.
Exposure to harmful environments or substances in the workplace impacted 43.5 out of 10,000 full-timers in 2020.
The main reason this is ranked number one of all occupational injuries that resulted in taking days off from work is because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before the pandemic, exposure to harmful substances and environments ranked at number six.
Out of the 84% of occupational injuries involving taking days off work, 36.1% accounted for this category.
Health care and social assistance workers were at the most risk. The data shows that 424,360 workers were affected.
6. Slips, Trips and Falls Ranked Number Three for Occupational Injuries Related to Days Off Work in 2020.
Ranking third for occupational injuries that resulted in taking days off work were trips, slips, and falls in 2020.
The injury rate was 21.7 per 10,000 full-time employees. The 55-plus age group was the most affected by slips, falls, and trips at work. The percentage accounted for 18% out of the total 84% of this data.
The industries where this happened the most were agriculture, warehousing, and transportation.
The most frequent injuries were strains, tears, and sprains in the muscles or supporting tissues. There were 211,640 cases in 2020.
Workplace Fatalities Statistics
7. In 2020, The US Bureau of Labor Statistics Reported 4,767 Occupational Fatalities Due to Injuries Incurred on The Job.
The figure, 4,767, being reported in 2020 is the lowest since 2013. In 2020, an employee died every 111 minutes due to a work-related injury.
The transportation industry accounted for 37.3% of fatalities with 1,778 fatal injuries.
The Hispanic share of work injury fatalities has been on the rise since 2019.
The 2020 numbers show that 22.5% (1,072 fatalities) of Hispanic work-related fatalities are higher than the 2019 data, which showed 1,088 fatalities (20.4%).
8. 8.1% of All Work-Related Injury Fatalities Were Women.
Women accounted for an estimated 8.1% of all occupational injury fatalities in 2020.
Statistics also show that 16.3% of workplace homicides happen to women.
Suicides decreased between the 2019 workplace injury statistics and the figures for 2020.
In 2020, there were 259 occupational suicides compared to the 307 in 2019. That represents a 15.6% decrease.
9. Transportation Incidents Accounted for 1,778 Work-Related Fatalities in 2020.
Compared to 2019 statistics, fatal transportation incidents dropped by 16.2%.
Fatalities related to violence and other injuries by individuals or animals also decreased between 2019 to 2020. In 2020, 705 fatalities occurred in this fashion compared to the 841 in 2019.
In contrast, the highest number of fatalities due to exposure to harmful environments or substances occurred in 2020, with 672 fatalities.
That’s the highest that figure has been since 2011.
10. In 2019-2020, 111 Worker Fatalities Occurred in Great Britain
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported its annual work-related fatalities for 2019 to 2020, which came to 111.
They said that this is a decrease of 38 fatalities from 2018 to 2019 figures.
Furthermore, this data shows that this is the lowest number of annual work-related fatalities on Great Britain’s record.
The HSE did state that the pandemic and the effect on the nation’s economy in the last two months of years may have contributed to the decrease in fatalities.
11. 20% of Employees’ Work-Related Fatalities in 2019 Came from The Construction Industry.
The data shows that in the United States private sector of construction, 20% of workers died in 2019.
That represents 1,061 work-related fatalities in the construction industry. That accounts for one out of every five worker fatalities for the 2019 year.
In 2019, 5,333 workers died while they were working. That accounts for 3.5 out of every 100,000 full-time employees.
Sadly, over 100 per week or around 15 deaths per day is the average.
12. The Age Group that Experienced the Most Work-Related Fatalities Was the 45 to 64-Year-Old Demographic Between 2016 and 2020.
Among full-time workers between the ages of 45 and 54, 5,354 work-related deaths were reported between 2016 and 2020.
In 2020, the rate was the lowest with 954 on-the-job fatalities. The figure for the 55- to 64-year-old group was 5,682 work-related fatalities.
Out of all five years, 2020 had the lowest overall figures related to fatalities in those age groups.
The year with the highest rates of workplace and related fatalities was 2016 among the 45 to 54 age group, with 1,145 deaths.
Among the 55- to 64-year-old demographic, 2019 experienced the highest work-related fatalities, with 1,1212.
13. Motor Vehicle Operators, Transportation and Material-Moving Occupations, and The Construction Industries Have the Highest Risk Factors for Work-Related Deaths.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) data sets between 2016 and 2020 show that the highest risk industries for work-related fatalities include motor vehicle operators, transportation and material moving occupations, and construction.
Although the numbers were lower in 2020, they’re believed to correlate with the pandemic.
In 2016, 970 fatalities occurred in construction, while nearly 1,400 in transportation and material-moving occupations experienced work-related deaths.
Motor vehicle operators in 2016 experienced 1,012 on-the-job deaths. In 2020, those figures were 946 for construction, 933 for motor vehicle operators, and 1,282 for transportation and material-moving occupations.
Workplace Injury Demographics (U.S.)
14. In 2020, Texas Had the Highest Fatality Rates of Full-Time Workers.
Out of all 50 states in the United States, Texas had 469 work-related fatalities, which was the highest in the nation in 2020.
In fact, Texas has had the highest rate of work-related deaths since 2016. California isn’t far behind Texas.
Rhode Island has the lowest rate of work-related fatalities, with 7 in 2020. This is the smallest state in the United States.
The states with the lowest populations and smaller sizes have much lower rates than larger and more populated states.
15. The States of Georgia, Arkansas, and Delaware Are Categorized as The Top Three States with The Least Workplace Injuries.
Arkansas, Delaware, and Georgia are three states that fall well below the national average for work-related injuries and illnesses, according to workplace injury statistics.
Some other states with workplace nonfatal injury rates that fall below the national average include Texas, Massachusetts, North and South Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, Louisiana, and New York.
Since Texas has the highest work-related fatality rate, it’s surprising that they are below the national average in this category.
In contrast, Maryland, Tennessee, Illinois, Alabama, New Mexico, Missouri, and Utah have rates that are close to the national average.
16. In 2020, the Average Number of Days Missed for Illness or Injury Was 16 Days Among 55 to 64 Year Olds.
Age-related statistics revealed that in 2020, the average number of days missed by 55- to 64-year olds was 16 days.
This is an increase of two days compared to 2019, when 14 was the average missed days of lost work.
Among the younger crowd between 16 and 24, 5 days was the average number of days missed in 2019. In 2020, that figure increased to 8 days.
There are no specific indicators of why this is higher than usual, but it’s believed to be related to the pandemic.
17. The BLS Revealed that 21.3% of Those Who Missed Work in 2019 Because of Injuries that Occurred at Work Fell Between the 25- to 34-Year-Old Demographic.
In 2019, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revealed that 189,310 out of the 888,220 employees who got injured at work missed at least one day of work among those aged 25 and 34.
That accounts for 21.3%.
In that same year, 20.8% of workers between 45 and 54 years old missed at least one day of work due to an on-the-job, or job-related injury.
The fewest injuries occur among the 14 to 15, 16 to 19, 65-plus, and 20-24 age demographics, respectively.
18. According to The BLS, Women Are Less Likely to Get Hurt on The Job than Men at Work.
The BLS reports that women are more likely to get hurt at work than men. Men are also more likely to suffer work-related fatal injuries than women.
In 2015, it was revealed that 5,000 male employees died from a workplace injury compared to 350 women.
It’s been suggested by researchers that this disparity in job-related accidents and injuries may be caused by the difference in the workplace hazards experienced by men and women.
Consider that of men in construction, where the most injuries happen, and women in less demanding careers.
It could be the difference between female-dominated jobs and male-dominated jobs.
OSHA Statistics
19. Fires and Explosions Account for 3% of All Workplace Injuries.
OSHA has a lot of guidelines and safety rules for the workplace that are designed to prevent accidents and injuries.
Before OSHA, the injury rates and death rates in the workplace were higher.
According to the research, there are 4 kinds of injuries linked to fires and explosions.
These are called the primary blast, secondary blast, tertiary blast, and quaternary blast.
Primary blasts relate to the effects on the pressure on the ears, GI tract, and lungs.
Secondary blasts are when there are objects flying by and striking employees. Tertiary blasts involve highly explosive blasts that can lift you off the ground.
Quaternary blasts relate to every other thing that can happen because of the explosion or fire.
20. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Reported that 96,700 Injuries Are Due to Industrial Trucks or Forklifts Each Year.
In 2021, OSHA estimated that roughly 96,700 injuries occurred due to forklift and industrial truck operations.
At least 35,000 of these injuries were categorized as serious. OSHA says this is why training and certification is so important for all drivers of industrial vehicles.
Some of the accidents that occur include the load on the equipment falling off and causing injuries, and accidents at the loading dock.
There are other accidents that can happen, but these tend to be the most common.
Workplace Injury Costs Statistics
21. Data Shows that In 2019, Work-Related Accidents, Injuries, and Fatalities Costs Came to $171 Billion.
While we cannot account for the costs of lost work, loss of life, loss of quality of life, and other such factors of work-related injuries and fatalities, we can know the numbers and the monetary costs.
U.S. companies are literally losing billions of dollars each year due to work-related illnesses, injuries, and fatalities. That’s not just in dollars.
It’s also in lost workers and time. When you lose an employee, you have to go through the hiring and recruiting process.
Once you have a candidate, you must train them, which costs money.
22. In 2020, The Total Days Lost Because of Workplace Injuries Totaled 99 Million.
That 99 million was lost solely from the days lost of work and productivity in 2020.
Of the 99 million days lost, 65 million were due to workplace injuries in 2020, and 34 million accounted for prior workplace injuries before 2020.
Businesses try to make adjustments for the future, which now accounts for an estimated 50 million days lost.
The prior years injuries that accounted for 2020’s work days lost in businesses were related to permanently disabling injuries.
When someone is injured at work, if it’s serious, it costs a lot of money in litigation and workers’ compensation as well.
23. The Work Injury Costs per Worker in 2020 Accounted for $1,100 per Employee.
Even one person working for a small business can cost that company $1,100 in training, hiring, and other monetary and non-monetary expenses.
The total costs of work injuries in 2020 came to $163.9 billion, which is a bit lower than the costs in 2019.
While we are focusing on the economic costs, the real cost to the country, individuals, and employers related to workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths are far greater than what workers’ compensation can cover alone.
24. The Medical Expenses Incurred in 2020 Amounted to $44,000 per Consultation.
Medical consultation costs include not only the cost of treatments, but also include the estimated amount of lost wages.
It costs the injured individual and the employer. The employer may also incur damage to property or vehicles.
The injured worker loses work days, wages, and often suffers from traumatic effects that can impact their future work performance.
While not all injured workers experience a permanent disability, those who do incur long term costs.
FAQs
How Many Annual Workplace Accidents Happen?
Every year, there are roughly 340 million work-related accidents.
Also, 160 million workers experience illness due to workplace environments.
Unfortunately, occupational accidents, illnesses, and injuries are a common occurrence.
Is There a Time of Day when Workplace Accidents Most Often Happen?
Strangely, yes.
The most common times of day for workplace accidents are evening hours between 5pm and midnight and early morning hours between Midnight and 5am.
So basically between 5pm and 5am, the risk of accidents and injuries is higher.
What Should Someone Do Immediately After an Accident at Work?
Immediately after an accident that has resulted in an injury at work, the employee or a representative of said employee should first seek medical attention.
Once the employee has been examined and evaluated, the employee or their representative should report it to the employer.
Finally, if necessary, consult with an attorney to make sure your rights are being properly considered.
Do All Work-Related Injuries Happen on Site?
This subject is one you would need to consult an attorney to determine.
However, OSHA says that as long as the illness or injury happened during working hours when you are performing work for your employer and you don’t stray from that task, it can be considered a work-related injury.
If you try to get personal errands done on your work time and have an accident, it is not likely to be a work-related injury.
It’s not an easy concept to understand. That’s why you will need an attorney.
Conclusion
After reading these workplace injury statistics for 2025, you should have a better idea of what’s involved.
You should better understand things like the construction industry is a high-risk job for accidents and injuries.
It’s important to note that any workplace can be a hazardous working environment causing accidents, slip-and-falls, trips, exposure to harmful substances, and causing stress, overexertion, and any number of workplace injuries or illnesses.
